err...about ten years ago the Scottish Parliament held an internet poll aimed at finding the best way of stopping youngsters sniffing butane. It is now an offence to carry an unrectumised lighter in public.

Potential death traps but some are angry about leaving It sounds like councils of any colour cant win, moaned at for doing nowt, moaned at when they do. Just goes to show what fickle fuckers councils have to deal with

Labour will have to start back peddling a bit, blaming everything on austerity & tory councils etc. Some of this cladding was fitted in 2006

Equally baffled as to why so many were initially blaming the tragedy on not having sprinklers, some still are The fire went outside to in, sprinklers wouldn't have stopped that + the toxic smoke was almost certainly inside before the flames, certainly in the stairwell trapping people inside their flats.

The most cringe worthy moment in Theresa Mays election campaign was her reply to a nurse mentioning she had basically had her up pay cut over the years. Her reply was I dont have magic money tree Fine, use that to describe Labours manifesto but not to a nurse

It wasn't no 10 that announced they were considering reviewing the cap on benefits. I thought the BBC clearly stated it was Cabinet ministers that hinted at it, so, there was no U Turn from no 10 today but hopefully, nearer the autumn statement we'll get some positive news.

Of course any Labour amendment to a Queens speech would have to be voted down before it had even passed

it's the motivation that has driven my improved fantasy football performance

What's yer opinion on NHS targets? I've always been against them, I had always trusted doctors to prioritize which patient's needed the more urgent care & they'd get around to dealing with hip/knee replacements etc when those requiring urgent clinical care had been seen to.

Targets meant managers were needed to tick the boxes & possibly influence who got the theater time & to some extent less important op's carried out to hit the target. I've no idea how much managers have cost's the NHS over the years

I know a former staff nurse on ICU, she left the Health Service disillusioned, long before 2010, nowt to do with pay.

I don't have a problem with targets per se. Eg waiting times in emergency depts

In my opinion many of the pressures the NHS and police are suffering are a consequence of austerity measures. Reductions in social care, govt charity contributions, etc etc all place a burden where it shouldn't be...

When you add in an aging population, people becoming unhealthier, increased expectations etc you have a perfect storm

1.The only serious solution is a significant increase to income tax across the board cos you wont collect enough by just taxing the top 5%.

2.Corporation tax take increased when the rate was dropped, that's a fact, so, its not unreasonable to assume if its raised the take will drop.

3.You could increase VAT

4. Raise NI contributions for employees & employers

1, 3 & 4 will reduce disposable income.

Apparently there's opinion poll around saying about 50% would support an increase in tax to pay for public services I'd say beware of that poll, when push comes to shove & its time to put that X on the ballot paper, that 50 will drop to 30.

+

The least well off will be the ones who suffer the most cos their the ones with least disposable income but that's socialism for you, its never been any different.

There are some big and difficult decisions to make - the problem at the moment is there is little to no systemic thinking going on....

eg

reduce community liaison...... consequence spend more on armed police, anti terrorist measuressell arms to despots..... wonder why there are influxes of refugees and rise of radical groupsreduce social care provision for the infirm and unwell ...... express surprise when they turn up hospital / prisonreduce spending because of efficiency on investment projects with high cost benefit ratios.... express surprise when these costs are not avoided